Space Party 3-4 year I threw a space party for 4- and 3-year-olds using some of the suggestions from this and other websites. Parents Magazine 1999 Party issue has a great Space-themed party geared for younger kids (ages 3-6.)

For the rocket ship cake put a drop of black food coloring in vanilla icing to turn it a boat-metal grey. Use a bowl to create a flying saucer cake, also try and find Lego candies to make space ship tiles.

For the invitations: cut a rocket from construction paper using a simple design--A triangle on top of a rectangle. If you can, order the back issue from Parent, it’s worth it. My own ideas were:

1. Cut about 30 stars out of poster board (which my 3 year old helped me do), then color them with a yellow hi-light marker. Punching a hole in one end and hang the stars from the trees in yard or on porch using yarn. This has a surprising theatrical affect.

2. Next I chose a color scheme of blue and silver, then decorated the porch and yard with balloons and streamers in just those colors. These were the colors of his space agency.

3. PIN THE FACE ON THE ALIEN--an alien drawn on green board. Cut the face parts (different noses and ears) out of construction paper then affix double stick tape.

4. On the snack table there were cheeto whirls, which look like suns.

5. One game was to eat the STARS FROM THE TREES--Poke holes in star shaped sugar cookies before baking, then hang on branches or from door frames with yarn. The kids try to eat without using their hands.

6. A GALAXY MURAL--Use a silver marker to make stars (dots) on a banner of black construction paper or board, then give the kids stickers of planets and rocket ships to build their own solar system. This game was the biggest hit! And we took the mural to my child’s preschool class after the party.

7. SOLAR SYSTEM PARACHUTE GAMES--Use a giant black cloth as a parachute.

8. SPACE WALK FREEZE--The freeze game using music, only pretend you’re in space.

9. For projects: Space Coloring sheets downloaded from NASA kids. For little kids, keep activities and games short for short attention spans.

Finally, I made a Rocket Ship piñata filled with space themed toys and fruit snacks (a substitute for the gum and hard candies little ones can choke on). All the parents couldn’t believe the kids had so much fun without a jumper or a visiting character.